It seems the very air I breath is permeated with wild garlic this week. Wild garlic or ramsons is similar to ramps, or wild leeks, both belonging to the allium family. Like ramps they grow anywhere moist and shady, like damp woods, stream banks etc. They do have a bulb which is edible, but it is small and finicky to harvest, with the bulb only being ready after about 3 seasons. The flowers are also edible, but much stronger than the leaves, making a few flowers a pretty and flavourful addition to robust summer salads. It is the leaves though, which are most sought after. Easy to harvest and prepare, and absolutely delicious.

I have a feeling that I am going slightly overboard with my wild garlic obsession, as my mom has just told me about an email she received from my daughter yesterday, where Dakota writes: ‘… I’m taking it easy on the garlic, but mom, ohhh!!!!, she can’t keep her hands off it!!!!!’ Even as I admit this I am writing about last night’s dinner and planning something for today, incorporating, you guessed it, wild garlic. I only hope the season is not over before I get through all the dishes I want to make.

Last night I made a real locavore’s salad of freshly dug new season potatoes, steamed Somerset asparagus and freshly foraged wild garlic. A little shaved parmesan and some hot lemon butter to finish it off and I officially pronounced it – Fabulous Dah-ling!

And for those of you who don’t know what wild garlic looks like, where to find it, or what bits to pick, here is a pictorial aid.

This is my entry for Andrea’sGrow Your Own event. I checked with her and wild garlic comes under the Hunter / gatherer clause apparently, so my entry is legit. It’s good to be back cooking with homegrown seasonal produce, so thank you summer and than you Andrea for a great event.

6 Responses to “Wild about Ramsons”

OH bella…I’ve been away from your blog for too long. You always inspire. I am like you in that when I find an special ingredient, I can get on a roll and want to create lots of dishes with it. By the looks of it, you have more wild garlic than you know what to do with! The recipes and photos all look inviting and delicious. Living in dry, hot, Southern California, I am sure I cannot find that around here…but I’ll keep my eyes peeled while in Italy.

Courtney, Jeni, Jeanne and Andrea, the rain has put paid to the wild garlic for now, but maybe we will get a second crop? I’m hoping. Andrea, I’ve gotten so much spam lately that I’ve accidentally deleted some legit comments too, sorry!